Ahead of today’s election in Kogi State, the electorate have been advised to rebuff financial inducement from politicians.
An election monitoring group, Centre for Transparency Advocacy, ( CTA) gave the admonition on Friday in a press statement issued in Lokoja, Kogi State capital.
Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director of the CTA said falling to the monetary temptation from desperate politicians and their footsoldiers at polling booth would amount to mortgage of future by the voters.
He said: “Politicians must desist from vote buying. Voters should not sell their votes as that will amount to mortgaging their future and the future of the younger and unborn generations.
“We call on security agents to act in accordance with the Electoral Act. They must exhibit neutrality and professionalism. They should be polite and approachable to the electorate. They should be firm, while not going outside the law in enforcing the electoral law, including arresting people engaging in unwholesome practices such as vote trading.
“We call on party agents to be vigilant and to cooperate with one another and with election officials to ensure orderly and credible elections.”
The CTA Executive Director noted that one method to nip vote buying in the bud was to prevent voters from using their phones to take photographs of their thumb-printed ballot papers inside the cubicle. The group demanded for vigilance on the part of security agents at polling booths.
“On the use of smartphones within the voting areas, INEC explained that citizens are encouraged to take pictures and make videos of the process around their polling units, including taking pictures of form E-C-60E after collation of results at the polling units.
However, citizens are advised not to use smartphones in the polling cubicles so as not to take photographs of their thumb printed ballot papers. This is to discourage vote buying. INEC also appealed to stakeholders to join in the fight against vote buying.
“There is a need in the deployment of security personnel for special attention to be paid to areas where there have been threats of violence. Pockets of violence have been observed in Kogi East Senatorial district. We call on security agencies to pay close attention to that area.”
Nwadishi however expressed satisfaction with the INEC preparation as it noted that the Commission ” has deployed 3 additional Resident Electoral Commissioners to Kogi State. The Commission has also assured us of its preparedness to conduct credible, free and fair elections in Kogi State.”